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HARDISTY — This is the place, the tiny speck on the Alberta map made famous by a pipeline that might never get built — the controversial Keystone XL.

And that’s a little odd, because a handful of pipelines already feed oil into and out of more than 70 massive storage tanks on the hill near here. It cost billions to build that tank farm and the black gold it stores is worth even more. Keystone XL would only join that party, not start it.

In fact, Hardisty’s conversion from rail stop and farming town to energy hub began with one valve and one line more than 60 years ago, so they know oil around here and they know that one more project, however large, probably won’t change their lives. Because it’s the same little town it used to be, give or take a new motel, before Keystone started grabbing headlines.

But thanks to that $5.4-billion proposal, Hardisty has had its 15 minutes of fame — or infamy, depending where you stand on the pipeline debate. All the media coverage in the past three years mentions Hardisty as the northern terminus for a line that would take 830,000 barrels per day to Cushing, Okla. And it’s natural to picture Hardisty in mid-boom due to current and expected development. Construction cranes blocking out the sun, town officials widening sidewalks, money dripping from the taps — that sort of overt prosperity.

Media types have come looking for signs of largesse every now and then, and the locals have been waiting on the boom for decades.

But the petrobillions that flow into the tank farm built by Enbridge, Husky, TransCanada, Gibson Energy and others only trickle down the hill and into this picturesque town, its few quiet streets nestled between rolling hills in the Battle River valley, about 200 kilometres southeast of Edmonton. Though plenty of residents are employed in the energy industry — and intermittent tank farm construction requires workers who must be fed and sheltered — that work, those employees and their disposable income have always been temporary considerations.

Now, town officials say the boom has descended. For evidence, they point to an explosion in the value of development permits; to the expansion of the R&R Inn and the impending construction of a competitor; to a fully occupied eight-bay shop that is the initial development on a 19-hectare (47-acre) commercial parcel; to the fact the town has but 16 residential lots in its inventory and is sold out of commercial and industrial land.

“We’re a miniature Fort Mac right now,” said an enthusiastic Kevin Miller, who is chief administrative officer for the Town of Hardisty and Village of Lougheed, located 20 kilometres northwest on Highway 13. “As exciting as that is, it’s scary in its own way, too, because we want to make sure we manage the development as well. We don’t just want everything to all of a sudden explode and then, what happens in 10 years from now with water infrastructure, sewer infrastructure? We need to make sure we do it right, but oh, we’re excited, and we’re open for business.”

He was so excited by a 483-per-cent increase in the value of development permits that he issued a news release in early November. The figure jumped from $1.7 million in 2012 to $7.7 million, with another $5.2 million pending before the end of December, related to a large work camp proposed by Horizon North. Most of the development growth is industrial and commercial, with residential permit value flat at about $1 million again this year.

Edmonton-based developer Trevor Federkiewicz and his business partner are planning to build four duplexes on Hardisty’s 48th Street — with enough beds for 56 people — and will likely rent all four to oil companies for housing employees on temporary assignment.

“I didn’t know where Hardisty was a year ago, honestly,” said Federkiewicz. “We wanted to build high density and the town was keen. Hardisty is eager for business. It’s reinventing itself.”

He didn’t have any trouble finding investors.

“A lot of people won’t invest in small towns and that’s unfortunate. A lot of people won’t invest in boom and bust. But Hardisty ain’t going anywhere. You can boom and bust it all you want, oil will still go through Hardisty.”

That’s what Clayton Hinkey thinks, too, and he has already bet heavily on it.

“Before, everyone was too scared to put serious investments into it because it’s a small town,” said Hinkey, who co-owns The Leaf, a sports bar located in the former train station. “Now, the word on the street is these (energy) companies’ plans are going eight years ahead. This place came up for sale and we took the plunge. And that’s what we bet on, that it will steamroll.”

The Leaf’s parking lot is almost empty during the four-day break between construction shifts, but chock full of pickup trucks when workers flood back into Hardisty for their 10 days on.

It’s much harder to see signs of permanent money. About a third of the storefronts in Hardisty’s modest downtown are closed or for sale or both. Trevor Bitzer’s family ran the Vista Theatre on the main drag for more than 40 years, but shut the doors on Nov. 3 after screening Smurfs 2. Bitzer said it was a nice hobby and great to have his kids work there, but they are grown now. In addition, distribution companies are phasing out 35mm film and the cost to convert the Vista to digital equipment is a whopping $70,000. Community leaders are considering a non-profit initiative to raise the money and Bitzer would happily lease or sell the theatre to such an entity.

“Getting the theatre back open would help put more cars on main street,” he said. “You want to see a lively downtown.”

Between 2007 and 2009, when Enbridge built 19 tanks at once, the 148-seat theatre and every other place in town was hopping.

“There were lineups at the grocery stores,” said Bitzer. “Every business in town had its best year I think. But those people were in and out — long enough to leave an effect, for sure — but they’re gone. There is some new business now and some commercial property is changing hands. But there can be millions and millions spent on the tank farm and the result might be five more employees and one lives in Hardisty.”

The town is in dire need of something more tangible and lasting.

“All we can hope is there is a little bit of consistency,” said Mayor Anita Miller. “That would be the best for us. That’s the dream. You have to think positive and you have to have your doors open, to listen to the proposals that these developers bring to you. You have to encourage it or they’re going to knock on somebody else’s door.”

Maybe not. The tank farm grew out of the need for a pumping station and the billions already invested in pipeline infrastructure give Hardisty a leg up. As proof, Gibson Energy is partnering with U.S. Development Groupt to build an oil-by-rail terminal near the tank farm that will service two trains per day starting in 2014 and will require some permanent employees.

It holds some promise for a town that needs to draw families and businesses, not just temporary construction workers, if the boom is to manifest itself in something other than bar and restaurant tabs and hotel stays. But if that project doesn’t trigger much residential growth and Keystone XL fails to cross U.S. President Barack Obama’s desk, and the 49th parallel, well, the people of Hardisty will persevere.

“Hardisty never seems to quit, it never seems to die,” said local real estate agent Jeff Golka. “It just keeps humming along. Sometimes it’s faster, sometimes it’s slower. To make it grow to a few thousand people, yeah, I’ve been waiting all my life for that to happen. More people, more activity, more businesses, I’d love to see that.”

The town certainly has its charm and amenities: a K-to-9 school and a hospital, rodeo grounds, ball diamonds, curling and hockey rinks, campgrounds. Hardisty Lake and Hardisty Lakeview Golf Course are about a three-wood from The Leaf parking lot. All good things.

But it needs more investment in downtown business, more places to stay, more folks. The 2011 census counted 639 people, a 15 per cent decline from 2006.

“There are not enough accommodations — hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, houses, whatever the case may be — in Hardisty,” said the mayor. “Some (workers) may have to travel from Irma or Sedgewick or Czar. I don’t know where they’re all staying because they’re not all staying in Hardisty, that’s for sure.”

Hinkey’s day job is in Sedgewick and he sees way more cars on the way home now. But they’re headed away from Hardisty at the end of the work day. And there are some residents who are probably fine with that.

“I think there are probably mixed feelings in town, because we have a varied age group,” the mayor continued. “Ones that are looking for work probably see this as a positive. The ones that are retired probably find it a disruption. Your quiet town isn’t quite as quiet as it used to be.

“But I think overall it’s good because it boosts the economy. It has to help if you’re building hotels or motels or shops, there has to be a spinoff for the restaurants and the gas station, grocery stores. There has to be come economic boost for other businesses in town and for their land value, that’s for sure. It has to help all the way around and some people don’t see that or don’t understand that maybe.”

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